7 Epic Road trips in France you can do in under 10 days!

Explore our top French road trips. These 7 unforgettable 10 day road trips in France cover coasts, castles, mountains, and more. Read all about it in the blog post 👉🏻 https://johleneorton.com/top-7-epic-french-road-trips-10-day-road-trips-in-france/

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TIME STAMPS
———————
00:00 Intro
01:08 Bordeaux and Paris Road Trip
04:40 Paris and Loire Valley Road Trip
05:47 Provence Road Trip
09:16 French Riviera Road Trip
14:39 Normandy France Road Trip
19:34 French Alps Road Trip
21:53 French Pyrenees Road Trip
———————

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France is such a beautiful country with 
so much to see, it can honestly be hard to know where to even begin. We’ve done 
a lot of road trips here over the years, so we put a list together of our top seven 
routes to help you figure out where to go. And the best part is you don’t need weeks off 
work. Every one of these road trips can be done in under 10 days. It’s important to note that we 
didn’t count the day you arrive or the day you leave since it will be different for everybody 
because this will be your travel day. [Music] In this video, we cover the main places to visit 
in these areas, but you’ll also come across plenty of villages along the way. We really encourage you 
to stop and explore some of them because that’s what makes road trip so special, all the hidden 
gems. By the way, before we get into our top seven road trips in France, we’ve created a digital 
road trip planner that keeps everything for your trip in one place. It’s got an interactive 
map you can customize with your own route or destinations. And it’s fully hyperlinked so you 
can use it like an app and get to the different sections easily. It’s just an easy way to keep 
your plans organized without getting confused with all your notes and tabs. It’s linked in 
the description if you’re interested. Okay, now let’s head over to the southwest of France 
for our first road trip. On this road trip, we’re heading to one of our favorite cities in 
France, Bordeaux, plus some nearby places we think you can’t miss. After this, we’ll make our way to 
Paris and we’ve included a day trip to Versailles. Bordeaux is full of amazing landmarks to explore 
in the old town. Start with a Place de la Bourse, a beautiful square with stunning classical 
buildings and a reflecting pool called the Mirroir d’Eau. Visit Bordeaux’s grand Theater, a gorgeous 
18th century opera house, Don’t miss Port Cailhau, a 15th century gate that looks like a castle. 
Finally, the Basilica of Saint-Michel is a lovely Gothic church with a tall bell tower you can climb 
for a great view of the city. And while you’re here, we highly recommend having lunch or dinner 
at Michel’s. We try to eat here every time we visit Bordeaux. Our top suggestion is the French 
onion soup covered in puff pastry. It is unreal. As you may know, Bordeaux is one of the world’s 
most famous wine regions. Bordeaux is known for producing top quality red wines, especially blends 
made from Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. It’s also home to the Sita Duvon, a museum dedicated to 
wine. You’ll definitely need to come here if you want to learn about wine making and its history 
and enjoy some tastings. For day three and four, we’re taking some day trips to Arcachon and Saint 
Emilion. Arcachon, a town about 1 hour away, is a charming seaside town best known for its oyster 
farming, beautiful beaches, and ble architecture. It’s a popular getaway for seafood lovers and 
those looking to enjoy the French Atlantic coast. The main attraction is the Dune du Pilat. Dune du 
Pilat is Europe’s largest sand dune, which is a 15-minute drive from the center of Arcachon. 
There is paid parking about 5 to 10 minutes walking distance to the dunes. It costs around 
€7 for the day. The first 30 minutes are free, but it takes longer than that to go up, see the 
view, and go down. You can also rent a bike and ride to the dunes on the designated bike paths 
along the Arcachon Bassin. Once you’re there, climb to the top for breathtaking views. And it’s 
also really fun to run down the dunes. A 40-minute drive from Borderaux is a peaceful, gorgeous town 
to walk around with a quaint French countryside vibe. We had delicious Canelé here. Canelé is 
a small French pastry from Bordeaux known for its caramelized crispy crust and soft custardy 
center. It’s made with a rum and vanilla infused batter baked in a special fluted mold to create a 
signature shape. We’ve linked in the description the exact location where we had the most amazing 
views of the town. We’ve linked a couple of wine farms you could visit in this area in the blog 
post in the description. On day five, we’re heading to Paris where we’ll be staying for the 
rest of the trip. It’s a 6-hour drive, but you can stop by many beautiful places on the way in the 
Loire region, like Chateauroux, Orleans, or even Tour. We’ve created a 3-day Paris itinerary linked 
in the description. Whether you travel on a budget or not, we have itineraries for both options. And 
we have a whole Paris playlist you can check out with tons of tips, recommendations of places to 
eat, things to do, and a ton of helpful info. For the last day, let’s visit Versailles. Definitely 
visit Versailles for a day. And yes, you need the whole day. And of course, we’ve linked a way for 
you to get tickets in the description. To get from Paris to Versailles, take the rare sea train to 
Versailles Chateau Rive Gauche, which takes 40 minutes, then walk 10 minutes to the palace, 
or drive 30 to 45 minutes. You can also get a guided tour with transportation included. Pro 
tip, if you don’t have time to see Versailles, but want to see the same luxurious decor, visit 
the Napoleon III apartments in the Louvre. Before becoming a museum, the Louvre was the main 
residence of French kings until Louis the 14th’s moved to Versailles in the late 17th century. 
So, they feature very similar decor and are often compared to one another. If you love history 
and castles, this next road trip is perfect. This road trip is all about chateau, palaces, and 
everything royal. We start in Paris and finish with a tour of some of the most beautiful chateau 
in the Loire Valley. While you’re in Paris, let’s stick to the theme by checking out 
spots like Palais Garnier or the Grand Palais. On day four, head to Versailles. 
And if you missed our previous route, don’t worry. Head to the last day of the Bordeaux 
Paris road trip. We’ve got all the details on visiting Versailles covered. On day five, about 2 
hours and a half drive away, we arrive at Tours. Stroll through the halftimbered houses in the 
old town. See the Gothic architecture of the Tors Cathedral. Visit the crypt of San Martin, one 
of France’s most venerated saints, and see all the impressive paintings at the Muse de Beaux 
Arts, including works of Rembrandt, Rubens, and Monet. The last two days we’ve kept open for 
you to explore all the beautiful chateau in this region. We recommend Villandry, Langeais, Chateau 
de chenonceau and the Rochecotte Hotel restaurant where we had an amazing afternoon tea for a really 
good price which we talk more about in this video. Next up, let’s head south for a provenance road 
trip. One of the most iconic regions in France. For this trip, we will be staying in one 
place the whole time, Avignon. That way, the drives aren’t longer than an hour and 
a half. The first day you’ll visit Avignon and Aix en Province. On day two, you’ll 
head over to Marseilles. On day three, you’ll explore the Abbeye Notre-dame de Senanque and Gordes. On day four, 
we’ll go to Les Beaux de Province and Arles. On day five, we’ll visit the lavender fields of Valensole. 
On day six, we’ll go to Montpelier. Avignon is all about history. Check out the massive palace of the 
popes at the famous Pont d´Avignon. Aix en Provence, nicknamed the city of the fountains. It has more 
than 50 stunning water fountains all over town. We also suggest visiting the famous painter Cezanne´s studio.
In Marseille. Start at the old port where you can watch the boats come and go and grab a coffee or seafood 
right by the water. Visit the basilique notre-dame de la Garde the city’s iconic hilltop church with amazing 
views over Marseilles and the sea. Then explore Le panier the oldest neighborhood full of narrow 
streets, colorful buildings and cool street art. When in Gordes, make sure to stop by the lavender 
fields near the Abbeye Notre-Dame de Senanque. They’re beautiful, especially in bloom, which we’ll talk 
about a bit later. After all, Provence is known for its lavender fields. Then head to the Airelles Gordes Hotel for a drink with an incredible view of the town. We had a citrusy lavender gin and tonic, 
but you can get whatever you like. If you want an even better spot to see Gordes, check out the 
town viewpoint. Les Baux de Province, commonly referred to as Les Baux, is a rural commune in the 
Bouche Du Rhone department in the Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur region in southern France. Les Baux is a beautiful 
town. Wander through its streets and check out all the shops selling the town’s famous pottery 
and lavender scented soaps. This area is known for its steep limestone cliffs. We had lunch at a 
restaurant called Hostellerie de La Reine Jean with a table by the window right on the edge of the cliff. The 
view was incredible and the food was great, too. famous for his Roman ruins and Van Gogh connection 
since he lived there in the late 1880s. We highly recommend doing the Van Gogh walk to see all the 
locations that inspired his paintings and visiting the Roman amphitheater, the Roman theater and 
the Alishams, a treeine path with Sharophagi on either side leading to the Roman cemetery with a 
12th century church. If you’re having lunch here, they have many restaurants along Boulevard de and 
Rue President Wilson. So definitely go check out those areas. The most popular lavender field 
is Valensole. Just keep in mind lavender fields are only in bloom for a short time each year from 
mid June to late August. If you visit too early, you’ll miss the most vibrant purple flowers. And 
if you come too late, the lavender might already be harvested. [Music] Technically, Montpelier 
is not in Provence, but it’s right there and it’s a beautiful place surrounded by beaches and 
countryside. When in Montpelier, you definitely have to take a stroll through esplanade Charles de Gaule. It’s a 
gorgeous park lined with trees, little cafes, and restaurants. Speaking of, Montpelier has many 
amazing restaurants. We talk about a place we had some great French food and a bunch of other things 
to see and do in Montpelier in this video here. So, go watch it after this one. One day is not enough 
to see everything in Montpelier, but if you wanted to extend your trip, this is the perfect place to 
do so, as there are many wine farms in the area and beautiful beaches. Next, let’s talk about one 
of our favorite road trips, the French Riviera. For the first 5 days of this trip, we’ll be 
based in Nice since it’s close to most of the spots we want to visit and it has an airport. 
For the second half, we’ll stay somewhere else, but more on that later. We recommend sticking 
to one or two places per trip. Of course, it depends on how big the area is, but usually 
it’s easier and probably cheaper to drive a bit farther than pack up and move somewhere new every 
few days. Before we dive into the itinerary, we’ve got a full video covering everything you need to 
know about road trips in the French Riviera. So definitely check that out if you’re interested. 
On day one, we highly recommend visiting Menton, right at the border with Italy. The closest big 
city is Nice, about 30 km away, known for its lemon trees and pastel buildings. Our tip, park 
at the top of the hill by the cemetery, take in the views, and then walk down to the water. The 
views on the way down, absolute perfection. This does mean you need to walk back up, but it’s 
totally worth it. And on your way back to Nice, definitely stop by Monte Carlo for dinner or a 
drink by the beach. Love driving around to do the route of the Formula 1 track and seeing the 
beautiful streets. For lunch or dinner, head to Giacomo, part of the Big Mama Group that is right 
on the beachfront. And the prices here are super fair for Monaco. We highly recommend their pizzas, 
seasonal cocktails, and classic tiramisu for dessert. You cannot miss Eze, a charming hilltop 
village with incredible views of the French Riviera Coast. We’ve linked the exact spot where 
we saw the most stunning views we’ve ever seen in our lives in the description. Eze is full of little 
streets with boutiques, highly rated restaurants, and cute souvenir stores. They also have a 
small church looking over the cliff called Notre-Dame de-l’Assomption de Eze, a memorial to those who lost their 
lives in air during the first world war. This beautiful pink mansion is right on the French 
Riviera in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat. And it feels like something out of a dream. Built by Victoria de Rothschild, a woman with amazing style and vision, it’s full of art and treasures that reflect 
her unique taste. After a tough divorce, she spent years creating this stunning place. Inside, 
you’ll find gorgeous rooms with lots of history, and outside there are lovely gardens, each with 
its own theme. Be sure to check out the French garden where the musical fountains put on a show. 
The villa is open everyday so you can take your time exploring. Admission is €17 per adult and 
includes audio commentary in several languages. As you make your way back, make sure to take the 
coastal route and visit Villefrance-sur-mer. It’s an absolutely stunning resort town close to Saint Jean Cap Ferrat 
Nice has an amazing restaurant scene. It’s almost got this Miami vibe. The beachfront spots were 
packed, but we went to La voglia and absolutely loved it. Matisse lived here in Nice for nearly 
40 years, and you can visit the Matis Museum for €10. We’ve linked some tickets for you in the 
description. And when in Nice, you have to walk by the Promenade des Anglais. Gorgeous little town best 
known as Marc Chagalls’s home for nearly 20 years. We’ve linked the cemetery where he’s buried. It 
has incredible views of the sea and visitors often leave creative gifts at his grave. One thing you 
have to do here is stop by Glacier de la Fontaine for some lavender ice cream. It was honestly so 
good. The town is full of charming boutiques, artsy shops, a store with all kinds of scented 
soaps, and even the cutest little mailbox. Right between Saint Tropez and Menton, Antibes is a beautiful 
town with a great vibe, charming narrow streets and a stunning port with great restaurants. We had 
dinner at Le Chrono and loved the atmosphere especially the little terrace. Plus, they make their pizzas 
right in front of you for amazing views. Take a walk along the Promenade Amiral de Grasse and head to the port where 
you’ll see a long row of luxury yachts. Cannes is a gorgeous resort town best known for the cans film 
festival. Do yourself a favor and park here. Then walk along the coast to check out the beautiful 
beaches, yachts, and iconic hotels, especially the Carlton. The oldest town in the French Riviera is 
a fantastic place to stay. It’s well positioned, making it easy to explore the region by car, and 
it’s far more affordable than many other areas. Plus, it’s a stunning destination with plenty of 
ancient Roman landmarks to discover. Right next to Frejus is San Rafael, where we had the most amazing 
sunset picnic on Plage Veillat. Before heading there, we grabbed a bunch of snacks. Cheese, champagne, 
grapes, and a local dessert called Tarte Tropezienne. It’s this fluffy bio cake with a creamy custard 
filling. And the one we had was flavored with orange blossom. Port Grimaud is a bit tucked away, but 
once you step inside, it’s absolutely beautiful. Often called the Venice of Provence, it’s filled 
with colorful houses, canals, yachts, and charming little bridges. There are so many beautiful spots 
to take photos, plus plenty of amazing waterfront restaurants that are always full of people. St
Maxime is a charming coastal town where we had some delicious fish and chips at La Gaudina right on 
the beach. For dessert, cross the bridge to a patisserie called 100% maison by Laveissiere. We love the cheesecake 
and raspberry tart. When you’re in Saint Tropez, you’ve got to check out the long row of luxury yachts and 
grab a drink at one of the many fancy restaurants overlooking the water. But there’s also a super 
charming old town with narrow streets and colorful buildings. You can relax on the beach, wander 
through the old town, rent a boat. We’ve actually linked some options in the description for you. Or 
head up to the citadel for amazing views of Saint Tropez. Next, another one of our favorites, the Normandy 
road trip. As you explore the west of Normandy, we suggest staying in a town like Avranches 
since it’s close to many must visit spots. First, we’ll visit the iconic Mont Saint Michel. Then 
explore Avranches and we’ll talk about a little town close by where we had amazing crepes. On day 
three, we’ll visit Granville. On day four and five, we’ll explore the D-Day beaches. On day six, we’ll 
head even more up north to Honfleur and we’ll stay in Etretat from there on. We’ll visit Rouen and 
last but not least, Etretat. Mont Saint Michel is a stunning island commune, a medieval abbey that 
seems to float above the sea. You have to park at the Mont Saint Michel parking lot where you can take 
the free shuttle bus le Passeur to the island, but we suggest walking the 2 and 1/2 km. It’s a 
much better experience and you see a lot more. You definitely should go all the way up to see the 
abbey and stop by the different viewpoints. We went to La Salicorne and absolutely love their creamy 
moules frites mussels and fries which is typical in Normandy and a must try. Very close to MOnt Saint Michel, 
Avranches is one of my personal favorite towns. This place is known for the Eglise Notre Dame des Champs and 
the jardin des Plantes de a gorgeous public garden with views of mont Saint michel in the distance. It’s seriously 
beautiful. Right next to the church there’s a patisserie called Eclat des Feves and we’re not even 
kidding we had the best caramel of our lives there and we gave the brioche normande a try too since 
Brioche is originally from Normandy. We stopped by for dinner one night at a creperie we found after hours 
of looking for something on Google maps while driving. We drove past the town which looked very 
cute. But the restaurant itself was so charming and the staff was super friendly and welcoming. 
They sat us by a table by the fireplace which just made the whole vibe very cozy. We each had a 
galette for our main meal and they were delicious. For dessert we had sweet crepes. The most memorable 
one was the black forest one I ordered. One of the best crepes we’ve ever tasted. Of course, everyone 
had to have a bite. We highly recommend booking a table here and stopping by. Granville is known 
for its seafood. There’s this spot right by the port called restaurant du port and we loved it so much. We 
actually went back a year later on our recent trip just to eat there again. Their creamy moules frites, 
that’s mussels with fries, were amazing when they’re in season, of course. The second time 
we went, they didn’t have any mussels available, which totally surprised us. We ended up trying 
other seafood dishes on the menu. Not what we were craving, but still good and fresh. Planning to 
visit the D-Day beaches? Here’s one important tip. Come early. We went to Omaha Beach late in the 
day and found out all the museums and cemeteries were already closed. Totally our mistake for not 
checking the times, so don’t make the same one. Omaha Beach was still incredibly moving. There’s 
this huge metal monument called Les Braves or Les Braves, a tribute to the Allied forces that landed 
here. Along the beach, you’ll also find info boards that walk you through the events of June 
6th, 1944. Further along the shore, there’s a memorial bunker with a strategically placed cannon 
gun still preserved. a reminder of how close the battle was to the waterline. Just up the hill is 
the Normandy American Cemetery in Colleville sur mer. It holds the graves of 9,389 soldiers who lost their lives 
during the D-Day landings. We just went to Omaha, but you can also visit Utah Beach, Gold Beach, 
Juno Beach, and Sword Beach. [Music] This charming port town sits right on the Normandy 
coast. The port blew us away with all the boats surrounded by colorful buildings and restaurants. 
While you’re there, don’t miss the galettes, savory buckwheat creps, at a cute spot called 
J’en Crepe d’envie. Galettes are originally from Britany, but since Normandy is right next door, you’ll find 
them here, too. We tried one with typical toppings from Normandy like apple vire sausage and creamy 
camembert. It was so good. If you want more ideas of things to do in Honfleur, we’ve added some stuff in 
the blog post, so definitely go check that out in the description. [Music] There are many beautiful 
monuments in Rouen including the cathedral, the Gros Horloge clock, Saint Maclou church and Saint Ouen church. 
We’ve also linked a walking tour if you prefer to see the city that way. What makes it special 
are its dramatic cliffs and rock formations, especially the Port d’Aval Arch and L’Aiguille sharp 
needle-shaped one rising out of the sea. The best views are either from the beach, the water 
is so clear and blue. Another great place to see the views from the top near the chappelle Notre Dame de la Garde. You can 
walk or hop on a little tourist train or from the Jardins d’Etretat right next to it. The garden is really lovely 
and worth checking out. The main thing most people go there for is to see the giant head-shaped 
sculptures each with a unique expression surrounded by bushes that look like flower petals. 
For lunch, we had the most amazing moules frites covered in camembert cheese at this spot called La Courtine. The 
service was so good and their mussels are imported from different parts of France, so they serve 
them all year round. This next route is perfect for anyone who wants a mix of charming towns and 
incredible mountain views. For the first couple of days to explore an places close by like Chanaz and 
Chambery, we recommend staying in Annecy. But to see Chamonix and explore Mont Blanc, we recommend staying 
in Chamonix. Some of the main sites here are the Chateu des Ducs de Savoie and la fontaine des elephants a stunning 
fountain with full-sized elephant statues. If you want to find an easy way to explore the whole 
town, hop on a little tourist train called le petit train de Chambery. And if you’re into museums, they’ve got 
a museum of fine arts with paintings ranging from the middle ages all the way to the 20th century. 
Chanaz is built around the canal de savieres which links up with the Rhone River. We highly recommend taking 
a boat ride along the canal. It’s such a relaxing way to take it all in. You can also go over the 
Pont en arch Bridge, watch the boats go by and grab a drink at one of the canal side restaurants. We 
stopped at Le Relais Gourmand and really enjoy the Kir Savoyard, white wine from Savoie with black currant liquor. 
For the next 2 days, stay at Annecy. Trust us, there’s a lot to explore here. Arguably the 
most amazing feature of Annecy is Lake Annecy with its vibrant turquoise water and stunning mountains 
in the background. We cannot recommend enough that you hop on a tour boat or rent your own. a 
pedal boat or a motorboat. We actually did both a tour boat and the motorboat and highly recommend 
both. But if you only have the budget for one, the motorboat gives you a lot of freedom to explore 
at your own pace. We’ve added a link to rent a boat in the description. One of the perks of this 
town is its location. If you have a car, you can easily drive 1 hour to Geneva in Switzerland and 
2 and 1/2 hours to Lion. But there’s plenty to do in Chamonix without needing to travel. Definitely 
try the restaurant rose du pont, famous for its pink facade, for amazing classic warm dishes of the 
area like fondue and French onion soup. To get from Chamonix to Mont Blanc, you can take the Mpnt Blanc 
express train which travels to the Chamonix Valley or you can take the Aiguille du midi cable car. It’s 
a popular attraction that takes you from Chamonix town to the summit of the Aiguille du midi peak. 
We kept two days open for you to explore this area and try both attractions, the train and 
the cable car. since you cannot take one there and the other one back as they’re not connected 
and allow you to see different parts of Mont Blanc. [Music] If you’re flying in from outside of Europe 
or really from anywhere by plane into France, you’ll most likely land in Paris. From there, you 
can rent a car at the airport or you can hop on a train to Pou and from there rent a car where you’ll 
be based for the first five or six nights. In Pau, take a walk along the boulevard des pyrenees. It’s a 
pretty 1.8 km stretch with the palm trees, historic buildings, and amazing views of 
the Pyrenees on a clear day. Stop by the chateau de Pau where Henry IV was born to 
see his Renaissance rooms, tapestries, and paintings. Then relax in the park outside. To 
get between the lower station and the upper town, hop on an old 1908 finicular. It’s quick, scenic, 
and it’s free. Lourdes is one of our favorite places in the French Pyrenees. Famous for being one 
of the most important Catholic pilgrimage sites in the world and it’s incredibly beautiful 
with an amazing vibe. Here you have to visit the sanctuary of our lady of Lourdes including the Basilica 
of the Immaculate Conception next to the river, the Rosary Basilica and the underground basilica 
of St Pius the 10th. Walk 20 minutes from here to the chateau fort de Lourdes, a medieval castle with panoramic 
views of the Pyrenees and a small Perneian museum. We go over more things to do here in the blog 
post linked in the description. Unfortunately, we lost the footage we took of this place, but 
trust us, it’s worth visiting. Head over to the blog post for things to see and do in Oloron Sainte Marie and 
where we talk about a wool factory where you can find handmade berets in every color imaginable. 
There are many charming little villages in the Pyrenees. A top suggestion is to grab a few things 
at a supermarket or a local market like baguette cheese in the of the region, strawberries or any 
fresh fruit that’s in season and a bottle of local wine and have a picnic at a beautiful spot you 
find along the way with views of the mountains. For the next couple of days, you can stay in 
Bayonne because it’s a bigger city. Although we recommend trying Saint Jean de Luz, we love the coastal 
vibes there in Biarritz. Start with the Grand Plage, the main beach right in the heart of the town. 
Perfect for a swim or surfing if you like or just relaxing by the water. Walk over to the Rocher de 
la Vierge, a rocky viewpoint connected by a bridge with incredible ocean views. There’s also a very famous 
aquarium here you can visit if that’s something you’d like. And don’t miss the port des Pecheurs, a 
charming fishing port lined with restaurants serving great seafood. We absolutely fell in love 
with Saint Jean de Luz. It’s a gorgeous coastal town where we recommend walking along the promenade
by the beach. Full of halftimbered houses, great restaurants, and there are ton of ice 
cream trucks along the promenade where we highly recommend ordering the salted caramel flavor. 
It was so good. Also, walk up the hill towards the little house for stunning views of the town. 
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road trip you’re planning next. Safe travels. [Music]